. : HELLACIOUS : .

The Bite

Kash flexed in the mirror, turning this way and that.

They didn't have much muscle and their ribs poked out through their skin like phantoms behind sheets. Coarse hair dotted their calves and thighs, leading up between their legs. The beginnings of a mustache swept under Kash's nose, and they covered the hair with a dab of creamy makeup Roz bought them. Scars and welts scattered their back and arms, pinking their ebony frame.

Not much to admire, but it'll do.

Nothing a pair of stockings can't fix.

The plan for the evening was to go out dancing with the Divine Nine. A blues singer from Haiti was in town, kicking off her tour in New Orleons before entrancing the rest of the states with her powerful lungs. She was one of Eddie's friends from the music industry. The Big Times.

Kash was so excited they picked out their outfit a week before. It was their rare chance to dance with Malcolm among other hip, sophisticated people without fear of judgement, to tag along with his zany friends, to get a taste of the Black Avenue nightlife before they had to return to Redwater and face reality. Nothing was going to stop Kash from seeing the great Margaret Henderson perform live. Nothing.

The memory of Malcolm's drunken half-confession was problematic, but it wasn't anything they couldn't ignore and suppress.

He was blitzed. Talking nonsense.

So was I.

Kash pulled their red spotted dress on over their undergarments and buttoned it up with a happy hum.

Tonight was going to be a ball.

Then, of course, Billy stormed into Kash's room a minute later foaming at the mouth.

"D'Jinn! I need your Sight."

Kash boredly brushed their hair, slicking virgin olive oil into the roots. "What for?"

"It's Roz. I've let her off the reigns so much she's forgotten her wifely duties. When she came home from work earlier she... she snubbed me. Ignored my requests and told me to leave her the hell alone."

The D'Jinn stifled a laugh.

It's probably something ridiculous like she doesn't want to have sex with him.

Thank God Billy's never asked me to fix bonds for that.

Billy shifted his great weight to the side, popping his knuckles.

"I asked her to sleep with me, as nice and polite as I could, and she refused. And when I asked again, she got upset. She said she just wants to go to sleep tonight."

Kash snorted into the mirror. They smoothed out a wrinkle in their dress before donning their pillbox hat. "...I don't blame her. If she wanted to be with a pig she could've just visited a farm."

Billy loomed over the smaller body.

"This isn't a joke, D'Jinn. Fix it. Use your sight."

"She obviously doesn't want to be around you. Just take care of yourself for now and leave her alone. Tomorrow she'll be back to normal, and if not then you'll just have to wait until she is. I can't force her to want to have sex with you"

"Oh, but you can. It's well within your power. Sexual attraction and all that, that's your expertise." He blocked their exit with both arms. Kash and Billy locked eyes, no love lost between them. "So either you change her mind. Or I change yours."

Kash weighed their options.

I want to see Malcolm. I want to dance. I want to be among friends.